The present invention relates to compositions based on polymers and fibrous filler materials and more particularly to the use of discarded high density polyethylene products and abundantly available agricultural products in combination to make structural components.
There are numerous references concerning wood/plastic combinations and the specific utility of incorporating wood fibers into polyethylene has been demonstrated. Moldable compositions based on combined plastic resins and fibrous plant materials are also known as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,203,876, 4,013,616, and 4,202,803. A product marketed under the trademark INTERFIBE.TM. is a specially prepared cellulosic material for combination with elastomeric materials for the preparation of paints and other coating materials. These references relate to the use of virgin resins in combination with vegetable fibers and do not direct their disclosures to the preparation of structural components from recycled high density polyethylene combined with herbaceous fibrous materials. U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,876 is directed to the required used of synthetic elastomers with thermoplastic polymers and lignocellosic materials to make sheets and panels of composite materials. U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,616 teaches the use of shredded front end components of a solid refuse system for use as filler in flowable thermoplastic materials to make cast resinous objects. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,803 relates to the use of rice chaff incorporated in elastomers to manufacture vulcanized rubber.
The use of shredded post waste high density polyethylene for molding of structural components has been known wherein used milk jugs made from virgin high density polyethylene are granulated, then heated to a viscous state and extruded into boards and posts. The use of granulated recycled high density polyethylene in a transfer-compression molding process has also been employed to fabricate panel components. The use of herbaceous fibers with recycled high density polyethylene materials for molding into structural components, such as dimensioned structural members, is not envisioned in the prior art references.